Death of a Moffo, and Death of a Mofo.

Within the past two weeks, two important figures have died.

The first, Serbian dictator Slobodan Milosvic:























The second, opera singer Anna Moffo:




























These two are surely not of equal importance in world history, but to me, Moffo takes up far greater space. Her recording of La Traviata - with Richard Tucker and Robert Merrill (both jewish) - was the first complete opera I ever heard and liked. More than liked, actually. I would take the tapes with me on the bus to and from summer camp, listening to Act I on the way over and Act II on the way back (I never did find out what happened to acts III and IV). Her voice was delicate but vibrant, impressive but not overdone. She's the one who really got me into opera, and it's against her that I measure all other sopranos.

As for Milosveic, he can burn in hell. Good riddance.